Roosevelt headed to Class A in football

Roosevelt is expected to move from Class AA to A for the 2013 Section 9 football season.

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By JUSTIN RODRIGUEZ

recordonline.com

By JUSTIN RODRIGUEZ

Posted Feb. 6, 2013 at 2:00 AM

By JUSTIN RODRIGUEZ

Posted Feb. 6, 2013 at 2:00 AM

» Social News

Roosevelt is expected to move from Class AA to A for the 2013 Section 9 football season.

Roosevelt, located in Hyde Park in Dutchess County, went 2-7 overall last season and 1-3 in Class AA Division II. Two years ago, Roosevelt won the Division II regular-season championship, which served as its first title of any kind since 1975.

"We knew we were approaching Class A, and, when the (enrollment) numbers came back, we were," said Roosevelt football coach Brian Bellino, entering his fourth season. "I'm excited about it. In AA, it's a grind, the schedule can be pretty unforgiving with some powerhouses. I think we can be competitive in this league."

According to Bellino, Roosevelt's enrollment — grades 9-11 and ungraded students — will be under 1,000 in 2013-14, which is the threshold to compete in AA. Roosevelt had 1,068 students for the 2012-13 school year, according to the New York State Public High School Association. With classification numbers and prerequisites possibly changing, Roosevelt could possibly move back to AA after just one season.

Roosevelt's move leaves Warwick, Minisink Valley, Washingtonville and Valley Central in AA Division II. Middletown, Newburgh, Pine Bush, Kingston and Monroe-Woodbury compete in AA Division I. Section 9's football committee has discussed expanding the Class AA playoffs from four to eight teams, a move most league coaches favor. However, with the departure of Roosevelt, Section 9 football co-chairman David Coates said the move is on hold.

"But we will continue to look at it, especially if the (11) Rockland County schools come into Section 9" in the 2014-15 school year, said Coates, Middletown's athletic director.

Two Class A coaches, Wallkill's Brian Vegliando and Ed Killenberger of Goshen, said they were happy with Roosevelt's move to Class A.

"Coming from AA, I think Roosevelt will compete in A," Vegliando said. "It's a good program and I think Roosevelt will make the A schools better."

"It's a good thing," Killenberger said. "It will make it more interesting and you won't have to just win two games to get into the playoffs. There definitely will be more competition."